The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News for January 2015

31.01.2015 Most administrative detainees report rights violations at stage of detention

Human rights defenders arrived at a conclusion that the majority of human rights violations against persons subjected to administrative arrest are committed during the initial stage of their detention. The findings are based on interviewing persons sentenced to short prison terms for political reasons during 2014 in different cities of Belarus.

31.01.2015 Russia won't overturn death penalty ban - Chairman of Human Rights Council

Chairman of the Human Rights Council Mikhail Fedotov says that no one has the right to demand to overturn ban on death penalty, following a proposal of a group of Russian lawmakers to lift the ban, RIA Novosti reported on Friday.

30.01.2015 Former candidate keeps appealing detention

Valery Karankevich, a former candidate for the Mahiliou Regional Council of Deputies in the Khotsimsk-based constituency No. 54 and a candidate for the district council of Khotsimsk in constituency No. 13, sent on January 29 a request for a personal appointment to the First Deputy Prosecutor General Belarus.

30.01.2015 End-of-Year Websites Blocking Will Stay a Mystery

BAJ received replies from the Ministry of Home Affairs and from the Operative Analytical Center regarding troubles with access to several websites at the end of December.

30.01.2015 Liabedzka summoned for poster "Je suis Charlie"

Anatol Liabedzka, the United Civil Party leader, has received a request for summons in the morning on January 30.

30.01.2015 Supreme Court dismissed Lohvinau’s complaint

The book publisher and book shop owner filed a complaint against the ruling of the Information Ministry for its denial to register him as a distributor of printed goods.

30.01.2015 Democratic forces agree to observe presidential election

A number of opposition organizations have signed an agreement to launch a joint campaign of observation during the presidential campaign due in the fall 2015. The coalition includes the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada), the organizing committee of the party Belarusian Christian Democracy, the Tell the Truth campaign, the BPF Party and the Movement “For Freedom”.

30.01.2015 Andrei Paluda: Crime must not be deterred through the death penalty, but through ban on cheap alcohol

Talking to reporters during a press conference on 28 January, President Aliaksandr Lukashenka spoke emotionally about the death penalty. In particular, he mentioned several recent crimes that received a wide media and public coverage: “I am increasingly attracted by the fact that a person must be put against a wall for murder."

30.01.2015 Harassment of anarchist continues

Human rights defenders received information about a series of warning issued to activists of the anarchist movement. The activists were warned against violation of Art. 10 of the Law “On Counteracting Extremism”.

29.01.2015 The death penalty. Burial of executed prisoners.

Liudmila Mikhalkova, Chair of the Standing Committee on Legislation of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, believes that there is no need to change the legislation which prohibits issuing the bodies of the executed prisoners to their relatives for burial. Human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka, Chairman of the Homel branch of the NGO “Legal Initiative”, disagrees with the MP.

29.01.2015 Cooperation with CCBE sets high standards for Belarusian lawyers

A few days ago the Belarusian National Bar Association informed about a probability of cooperation with the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE), an organization that has repeatedly criticized the flaws in the work of Belarusian counsels after the events of December 19, 2010 in Minsk.

29.01.2015 Court in Svetlahorsk convicts journalists on charges of illegal picketing

Homel journalists Larysa Shchyrakova and Kanstantsin Zhukouski, according to a ruling of the Svetlahorsk District Court, are offenders subject to a fine of 900 thousand rubles each. The decision on charges of illegal picketing was taken on January 23. The journalists did not attend the meeting and received the ruling by mail on January 28.

29.01.2015 BSDP Deputy Chair keeps appealing penalty for transportation of independent publications

On January 28, Ihar Barysau filed a supervisory appeal to the Chairman of the Mahiliou Regional Court to challenge the Court’s decision of August 12, 2014, which fined the activist 30 basic units for transporting independent media – newspaper “Nash Mahiliou” and newsletter “Social Democrat”.

28.01.2015 Maxim Vinyarski stops hunger strike

The activist feels alright, and he is gradually finishing the hunger strike.

28.01.2015 Minsk District Сourt turns down claim by wrongfully convicted person

On January 28, the Minsk District Court considered a lawsuit by former prisoner Mikhail Hladki, who demanded to compensate for serving 8 years in prison as a result of a wrong verdict pronounced in a murder trial back in 2002.